'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With his upcoming UFC title fight against Alexander Volkanovski, it's important to look back and take note of the pivotal wins that Chan Sung Jung has picked up along the way in his UFC career.
'The Korean Zombie' isn't new to the title fight experience since he has faced featherweight pound-for-pound fighter Jose Aldo for gold in 2013. This bout didn't go his way, and mandatory military service followed, rendering him an inactive fighter for many years.
His return in 2017 didn't last long, as he picked up the TKO victory halfway through the very first round. Landing fast knockouts, introducing the twister submission to the UFC, and being an all-around lovable fighter, the Korean has made a name for himself amongst featherweight greats.
Winning three of his last five, 'The Korean Zombie' jumped on the opportunity to fight for the belt as Max Holloway was forced out of the trilogy bout with Volkanovski. This is an opportunity that neither fighter should take lightly. Although Jung has had two losses since his return to the octagon, he shouldn't be considered a diluted version of the contender he once was. MMA math doesn't work here; just because Brian Ortega beat Jung but lost to Volkanovski doesn't mean that 'The Great' will run through him too.
On this list, we'll point out excellent performances that may be indicative of how Jung will perform in an attempt to grab the elusive featherweight title. Always exciting and constantly dangerous, here are the five best performances of Chan Sung Jung in the UFC.
#5. Yair Rodriguez - UFC featherweight contender
Don't let the final result fool you. This was a fight that played in the favor of 'The Korean Zombie'. The 2018 Fight of the Year contender holds up as one of the most fun fights to watch to this day. Rodriguez and Jung gave fans an all-out war that'll live on as one of the best featherweight fights in MMA history.
Jung displayed great striking against Rodriguez, who may be the most dynamic kicker in the UFC. Pressure and volume over the course of about five rounds had him up on the scorecards that were ultimately not needed. The Korean fighter entertained one final brawl in the last 10-seconds of the fight and was caught with a shot that nobody could've predicted.
Regardless of the loss, Jung put on one of his best performances and was literally a second away from the win. This loss taught him a valuable lesson in moving his head.
#4. Renato Moicano
The lesson learned with the loss to Yair Rodriguez was shown on full display in Jung's next fight against Moicano. Fans were curious to see how 'The Korean Zombie' would bounce back from this loss.
He wasn't given an easy task to come back against either, as his Brazilian opponent won 2 of his last 3. The bout started and saw a lot of action within the first few minutes of the round. 'The Korean Zombie' was ready to show that his head wasn't as stationary a target that others may have thought it was. A slip and counter floored Moicano, and Jung took the back of his nearly-unconscious opponent.
Great control and patience was shown by Jung as he didn't rush the finish, although the fight ended just shy of a minute in. This performance showed that when the Korean fighter loses, he's coming back with mistakes fixed and with a vengeance.
#3. Dan Ige
Dan Ige is ever the tough opponent, following a loss to two-time title contender Brian Ortega. This was quite the setback, as 'The Korean Zombie' was very close to challenging for the title prior to that loss.
Ige is not the ideal rebound fight -- he's well-rounded and dangerous. He was also riding the confidence of his 22-second knockout victory over Gavin Tucker. Once again, Chan Sung Jung proved that he can bounce back from a loss in emphatic fashion.
'The Korean Zombie' showed great striking ability, but it was his grappling that won him the fight. He scored takedown after takedown throughout the fight and did an impressive job securing dominant positions. As the clock reached the 25-minute mark, it was very clear that Chan Sung Jung had this bout in his pocket.
#2. Frankie Edgar
UFC legend and fan-favorite, Frankie Edgar, looked to spoil the homecoming performance of Chan Sung Jung. 'The Korean Zombie', however, wasn't going to let anything or anyone ruin the night for him.
Jung shut out any opportunity that 'The Answer' could've possibly had for a successful performance. Early on, Jung's power had Edgar hurt, which led to a grappling sequence that favored the Korean. The fight was close to over multiple times, but Edgar managed to escape after what seemed to be enough time for him to clear the cob webs.
Unbothered, Jung got back to work and landed another shot to hurt his opponent, prompting the referee's intervening in this main event fight. Jung became the second person to stop 'The Answer' who has fought a laundry list of heavy-hitters and submission specialists.
#1. Dustin Poirier
'The Diamond' really found his home in the UFC's lightweight division. Although he's come into his own after moving up a weightclass, he was still a top fighter at the 145 lb mark. A four-fight win streak in the UFC and most recently defeating Max Holloway, Poirier was slated against 'The Korean Zombie'.
This would not only be the first UFC loss for the fighter from Luisiana, but the most outclassed he's ever looked inside the octagon. Jung showed Poirier his unorthodox striking style, switching from short shots in the pocket to flying knees seamlessly.
The Korean's power was also quite evident as 'The Diamond' was trepedatious in his approach as the fight moved forward. The grappling favored Jung severely as he was able to be steps ahead in any scramble the fight offered. Poirier favored the D'Arce choke early on in his career, but was on the receiving end of it as Jung used it to put him to sleep in the fourth round of their 2012 meeting.
